This helmet is a very special one in many ways as we shall see. My work was pretty simple...restitch the rear visor and as my friend Tony S. would say.."Meh" no big deal. However, this one is clearly marked to JR 153 which in itself is rare but then, there is another rarity...a note identifying the CEF veteran who brought it home, plus where he picked it up. So let's take a look:
The piece is totally M95 except for an M15 spike base, support disc and 4 M15 base pins. You can also see the separation of the visor from the shell. Note as well how that tin disc curves nicely over the brass rear spine.
The markings: JR 153 1911, 36LR II B plus ink stamped G. So, originally a helmet issued to JR 153 in 1911 then given to Landwehr Regt. 36 2nd Batt plus the "G" tells us the helmet has had some work. In my opinion, that "G" explains why we have that M15 base on the helmet. Very recently, we had a post on the forum of soldaten who had obviously modified their helmet spikes to lower their profile in the field. They had uberzugs on them but there were obvious M95's with the spike top taken off plus M15's minus spike. Once I get home, I will post a brass spike base that I have which has no spike but the neck is capped off with solder. So...on we go to something even more special.
Information taped to the liner, by the veteran who brought the helmet back from the War. We often see this on stahlhelms but seldom if ever on pickelhauben. The first line is obvious but the rest...Crothers... 14th Royal Montreal Batt. Montreal Canada. My next post will provide some additional information on Pvt. A.L. Crothers.
The piece is totally M95 except for an M15 spike base, support disc and 4 M15 base pins. You can also see the separation of the visor from the shell. Note as well how that tin disc curves nicely over the brass rear spine.
The markings: JR 153 1911, 36LR II B plus ink stamped G. So, originally a helmet issued to JR 153 in 1911 then given to Landwehr Regt. 36 2nd Batt plus the "G" tells us the helmet has had some work. In my opinion, that "G" explains why we have that M15 base on the helmet. Very recently, we had a post on the forum of soldaten who had obviously modified their helmet spikes to lower their profile in the field. They had uberzugs on them but there were obvious M95's with the spike top taken off plus M15's minus spike. Once I get home, I will post a brass spike base that I have which has no spike but the neck is capped off with solder. So...on we go to something even more special.
Information taped to the liner, by the veteran who brought the helmet back from the War. We often see this on stahlhelms but seldom if ever on pickelhauben. The first line is obvious but the rest...Crothers... 14th Royal Montreal Batt. Montreal Canada. My next post will provide some additional information on Pvt. A.L. Crothers.
